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The Water Department History

Falls by Thumb Road, photo by J. Swartz

St. Johnsville is in an enviable situation with water supply, thanks to the foresight of our forefathers. Many thanks to Jeff Swartz, who spent a lot of time in the village archives, gleaning the information and then writing about our water history. Our water system is well thought out and has served the village with a plentiful supply. In 1998, St. Johnsville was given the award for the best tasting water in New York State.

1932 Report of the Municipal Commissioners to the Honorable Village Board

The supply of water for the Village of St. Johnsville is obtained from village water bearing territory in the Town of Ephratah located north of the village. In 1924 a persistent agitation was inaugurated to procure additional water. The old system of spring water which was installed in 1893, had long been inadequate for the demands of the village. This had been supplemented by use of the creek water which was against the orders of the State and dangerous to the health of the community. The late Otis Williams finally headed a demand for more water and entered his name for Village of St. Johnsville President and was elected on a platform calling for an additional water supply. In August of 1924, after first securing a report from engineer James Wells of Rochester, and after holding a public hearing in the matter, a proposition was placed before the people to raise bonds to the extent of $170,000 for the purpose of securing an additional water supply. This was duly approved by a majority of the taxpayers voting at the special election held September 10, 1924.

The proposition called for a new water line from the settling basin in the hollow above the Village of St. Johnsville to certain springs north of Lassellsville and contemplated an all spring water supply.

The Municipal Commission thus enjoined by the people to carry out their wishes, employed James Wells, engineer, to make the plans and engaged the late George C. Butler, attorney, for guidance in legal matters. The necessary steps were taken to procure land and rights and the permission of the state sought. Opposition to the taking of certain springs (Fical and Miles), as well as opposition to the plan itself developed and several hearings were held before the State Conservation Commission before the necessary permission to proceed was granted.

The interjection of legal obstacles and the delays incident thereto interfered with the project to such extent that no work was done during the fall of 1924. The State granted their permit October 29, 1924. This permit prevented the Village of St. Johnsville from taking any of the springs contemplated in the plans (Fical and Miles Springs), but gave them the right to take water from the headwaters of Zimmerman Creek instead. The State Conservation Dept. decided that as the creek itself gave us a much larger supply, practically greater than our needs for many years to come, the springs should be reserved for the village of Lassellsville should they elect to make use of them. This changed the plans somewhat and increased the cost of installation as it required a larger intake dam at the headwaters and the acquiring of considerable land in order to procure a pure and uncontaminated supply.

As a measure of temporary relief, the Municipal Commission caused to be erected a small intake (our present "lower spring intake") on the old Congdon Property where considerable water was running to waste below the old intake (our present "upper spring intake"). Accordingly a small intake was erected several hundred feet below the old intake, a new supply of some 50,000 gallons per day secured and turned into the system. This was brought into use on October 28, 1925 and afforded some relief.

In the meantime, work was progressing on the larger undertaking which consisted of a new 8 inch pipe line extending from the village settling basins (dome area), to and above Lassellsville to the headwaters of Zimmerman Creek, where a large intake dam was erected for the purpose of storing the water and creating sufficient head for the purposes demanded. The bonds were sold, the contract was let for digging and laying of the pipe and the right of way secured over the land, said right of way consisting of a rod (16 ½ feet) each side of the pipe line.

The contract for laying the pipe was let to H.W. Golden & Son of Troy and their work was supervised by engineers representing the Village of St. Johnsville and no complaint has yet been filed that the work was slighted or any detail overlooked. The pipe was the best quality secured from the U.S. Cast Iron Foundry. The fundamental idea in installing the work was to make it as permanent and long lived as modern science could devise. This policy was also pursued in relation to the widened right of way which, while costing the taxpayers for added property, gave them permanent rights to all time to enter on their pipe line without disturbing adjoining landowners.

It has been said that the Village of St. Johnsville entered upon peoples land and disregarded their rights. A glance at the appended report will convince any fair minded person that this is not true. Land rights for the pipe line were acquired by purchase, under terms which we consider liberal. Trespass rights across fields were paid for and even temporary use of land for storing pipe was paid for liberally. As a further effort t create the good will to those who were naturally disturbed by the construction work, it was the policy of the commission to give employment wherever possible to those living near the work, and as a matter of fact, the little intake was constructed almost entirely with Lassellsville and neighborhood labor. Farmers found employment for their teams and many thousands of dollars were distributed in the immediate neighborhood of the construction.

The ensuing litigation which has given rise to some criticism of late was not instigated by the commission until every reasonable effort as settlement had been exhausted. At no time has the commission attempted t coerce or force settlement, but on the contrary have always stood ready to pay any reasonable claim together with something over towards that invisible yet recognized sentimental value which naturally attaches to property long owned by one family. That we failed in this and were finally forced to bring condemnation proceedings in order to avoid defending a multitude on individual law suits in Fulton County is only a measure of self protection. That out offers were fair and reasonable can readily be proven from the allowances made by the Condemnation Commission in Dempster Creek matter which has been determined and in which the allowances of the Condemnation Commission figures very near to the offers made by us. In some cases our offers were more than claimants received in others less, but the aggregate shows very little difference.

The Village of St. Johnsville now owns over 507 acres of water bearing territory in the Town of Ephratah. This land has been cleared of contaminating influences and reforested. Some of the land was well timbered when acquired and fresh planting of over 200,000 trees is said to represent the highest number of trees of any town of its size in the state.

When the project was accepted by the engineers in the State Conservation Dept. in 1924 they said in their letter of approval that the combined yield of the Miles and Fical Springs may not exceed 50,000 gallons per day. All the water that the Village of St. Johnsville can carry through the proposed and existing pipe line can be obtained from its present sources of supply and from Zimmerman Creek. It hardly seems these two smaller sources can be justified if Zimmerman Creek is to be used at all.

From the above it will be noted that the State Engineers were not satisfied that the Village of St. Johnsville could be absolutely sure of an all spring supply and the drought of 1930 justified their judgment. It went further and proved that Zimmerman Creek was also vulnerable, as that source also failed during the height of the dry season. The supply from Fical Spring temporarily suspended and the Miles Spring dropped to about 25,000 gallons.

This unforeseen emergency was not taken into the calculations of any of the engineers, either state or municipal, but it happened. This led to volumes of criticism of the Water Commission, but it should be remembered that the Municipal Commission did not originate the plans which were prepared by engineers and voted and approved by the people.

The only alternative presented by the lesson of 1930 was to make sure it could not happen again and this led to the purchase of Yauney Reservoir, a natural basin two miles above the intake on Zimmerman Creek and which was already equipped with a strong earthwork dam, built in 1879 by St. Johnsville manufacturers to control the stream flow when water power was the only factor known in manufacturing. This splendid reservoir, capable of holding in storage at least a quarter of a billion gallons, forever prevents a water famine, as it can be fed down during dry weather to keep an even stream flow. It should also mitigate against riparian damage claims as it assures a stream flow at the only time when damages could be sustained, that is, during low water and extreme drought. This cost the Village of St. Johnsville $1500 and added materially to the value of the property.

The Village of St. Johnsville owns two fine water projects. The Old System, known as the Congdon property which furnishes an unfailing supply of pure spring water and second the new Zimmerman Creek supply. The old supply will furnish from 250,000 to 300,000 gallons per day. The new supply will furnish from 750,000 per day.

The Village of St. Johnsville owns two distributing reservoirs capable of holding 3,000,000 gallons and the necessary land to protect them (dome area). The Village of St. Johnsville owns about 16 miles of pipe line with rights of two rods the entire length. The village owns over 507 acres of water bearing land mostly forest or reforested. The village owns three intake dams, the necessary gate houses, and the distributing system in the village proper. The village owns the Yauney Reservoir, which is one of the best purchases entered into. It assures an even stream flow and ample water flow for all purposes at the time. This last is the aim and object of all forward looking communities because a good water system is one of the surest inducements to prospective industrial plants.

The money value of the St. Johnsville water system is fully equal to the amount spent and will return a reasonable return. Without this water supply, the Village of St. Johnsville was helpless. With it, the Village of St. Johnsville can look forward to a future worth while, for with our schools, streets, parks and water supply, we have no need to be ashamed.

Your Commissioners have served without reward or desire for reward; often under severe criticism, and seldom receiving praise or commendation. They have devoted a great deal of their time and energy to the problem, and have never charged the village for their services. If the work has been slighted, it is not because we have been negligent; if there are mistakes, they are mistakes of judgment and not of intent; if on the other hand the village is possessed of a valuable property, well built, well planned and functioning perfectly, then we feel content to pass the work of continuance to others. We have faithfully tried to give the village the best water system in the state and we are conscious that we have at least labored honestly and faithfully to that end. Only in due process of time will the full fruit of our efforts be ripened. In the meantime, we are willing to rest our case before the people of the Village of St. Johnsville.

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01 24 2004

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